Conferencing again

I rise at 7:30. But the fist talk is supposed to start at 8:30. I have a very rushed breakfast. Yet again. It’s been a recurring theme in Temuco. There’s not even time for a photo.

We're in a different room. A much better one. Which is reasonably warm, if the door is kept closed. That’s not always the case, unfortunately. I’m a bit disappointed that I won’t be speaking in amongst the locomotives. Though, ultimately, I’d prefer not to freeze my arse off.

Asbjorn talking at the conference

Asbjorn is on first. Talking about quality control. Then it's Marcus on the topic of Rauchbier. His presentation has quite a bit of video and is very visual. Which is a good idea when so many of the audience don’t speak English.

Pete leaves at the end of the talk. And we hurry outside for a group photo. Chris has to drag Pete back.

Photos snapped, it’s time for Paddy on brewing cask beer. Interesting stuff. Especially the stuff about serving from a vertical cask. I’d heard about it but didn’t know exactly how it worked.

And, finally, it's me. It's 13:30 when I start and I manage to rush through it in an hour. I speak so quickly the interpreter says she had trouble keeping up with me.

The audience looks rather bemused. How much did they understand? I fear that it’s a long way short of 100%. Oh well. I hope they got something from it.

All the judges are supposed to be going up to Lonquimay. But Markus isn't keen. Leaving just Paddy, Sue, Sandy, Chris and me. To make sure to get there nice and early, we leave straight away, not even bothering with lunch. We really don’t want to be travelling in the dark again. Far too scary.

I finally travel up the mountain both awake and in daylight. I can soak in the countryside all the way to Lonquimay. It's weird seeing monkey-puzzle trees growing wild. Some quite massive. With candidly white volcano cones as a backdrop. That’s a bonus of it being a clear day.

Lonquimay and the mountains

Something I almost forgot to mention. I arrived at the arse end of Chille’s national celebrations. Which take up the best part of a week. There are Chilean flags everywhere. Children even fly kite versions. Every house, even the crappiest wooden shack, has a flag flying outside at this time of year.  

We arrive at 16:30. Well before nightfall. And are greeted by a smiling Boris. Who has already started barbecuing the beef. Me, Chris and Paddy go outside to have a look. It's dead impressive.

Beef barbbecuing

Back inside, I get a Zipa. It’s far better on draught than the bottled version I judged a few days ago. Confirming what I suspected: it’s packaging not brewing that’s the problem in Chile.

After a couple of beers, it's time to eat. The table is already groaning under the wight of food before the barbecue comes out.

Boris's homemade sausages

First pork sausages. Made by Boris. They are delicious. Then it's time for the beef. Which is also really good. I’m stuffed by the time I’m finished.

Boris and his beef

“I’m glad we skipped lunch now. “ Sue remarks. She’s not wrong. A meal deserving of an appetite.

Finally, my favourite hour rolls around: gin time. We start with cocktails the restaurant manageress has made using their own tonic water (Perkins brand). Then we get to make our own, with different types of tonic water and botanicals. Mine is mostly gin, with a splash of tonic, hibiscus, juniper berries and cardamon.

“No surprise Ron’s is mostly gin.”

What do they mean? It's quite nice. If rather alcoholic. A bit like me.

Paddy and gin

Boris's girlfriend arrives. And we drink more gin. This is lots of fun, playing around with different combinations of tonics and botanicals. Hibiscus is my favourite.

The others gradually drift off to bed, leaving just me and Chris. We stay up later. Until midnight or so, when we crawl upstairs to bed.

Where did all that gin go?



Cervecería & Lodge Lonquimay
Lonquimay,
Araucania.
http://www.cervezalonquimay.cl/ 

Disclaimer: The First International Araucania Cervercera Congress paid for my flights and for my hotel in Temuco, along with food and drink.